They arrived at the site with a boat named Fracky McFrackFace, painted with the slogans: ‘Harness the wind, waves and sun’ and ‘Bail out from fracking’.

One of the women, Caroline Jackson, is a Lancaster City Councillor representing Bulk Ward, and a retired headteacher.

She said: “We have brought a boat to the fracking site to highlight the fact that fracking will make climate change worse by emitting more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

“Fracking will therefore contribute to rising sea levels.

“Around half a billion people around the world are at risk from rising sea levels.”

There have been mounting protests outside the site in Preston New Road, Little Plumpton, over the past few months.

Lancashire County Councillors voted against allowing fracking at the site, but the decision was overturned by the government.

Emily Heath, a lecturer in Earth Sciences at Lancaster University said: “Continuing to develop new sources of fossil fuels is utter madness.

“We have abundant renewable energy all around us, and yet the Government is hell-bent on undermining the renewable energy industry, because they have vested interests in the fossil fuel industry and seem to be incapable of thinking beyond the short term.”

Mollie Foxall, a retired NHS manager, said: “I am taking direct action because the Government has left me no choice. They overturned the local democratic decision to not allow fracking in this area. We are calling on the Government to put people’s lives ahead of corporate profits, and stop backing fracking.”

Coun Gina Dowding, who represents Lancaster Central on Lancashire County Council, was arrested and charged by police in July for a similar protest at the site.

She was charged with obstructing a public highway and “Section 241 Trades Union Act offences”.